Folding ironing board



July 26, 1938. E. A. COOPER 2,124,765

FOLDING IRONING BOARD Filed July 31, 1936 2 Shets-Sheet l INVENT OR. fTHEL 497L104 600/27? July 26, 1938. E. A. COOPER FOLDING IRONING BOARD Filed July 51, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fTfi/[L 497504 600F155 I fiiZDRNEY.

Patented July za, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

FOLDING moms BOARD Eula Artella Cooper, Denver, c010.

Application July 31. 1936, Serial No. 93,632 4 Claims. (Cl. 38115) This invention relates to portable ironing boards, more particularly intended for use by travelers. v

The principal object of the invention is to 5 provide'an ironing board which can be easily and quickly set up for use, and which will fold into a very compact bundle when not in use so that it may be easily carried in a suit case or traveling bag.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible ironing board support which willalso serve as a clothes rack for supporting and drying garments. Other objects are, to provide a collapsible construction which when extended will be exceedingly rigid and to provide means for adjusting the heighth of the board and the angle thereof to suit the user.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinventlon, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is bad to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 illustrates the improved ironing board set up ready for use.

Figs. 2 and 3 are bottom perspective views of the two sections of the board proper.

Fig. 4 illustrates the board support as it would appear when used as a drying rack.

Fig. 5 illustrates the foot leg and horizontal brace in the folded position.

Fig. 6 illustrates the head frame folded. The invention comprises a board formed in two sections Ill and H, joined by means of a sliding dovetailed tongue and groove joint I2. The head section of the board is supported on a telescoping head standard consisting of an outer tube IS, an intermediate tube l4, and an inner tube IS; The various tubes may belocked at any desired degree of extension by means of clamping clips Ii.

The base of the head standard comprises a folding tripod ll of the music stand type. The upper extremity of the head standard is hinged to a frame l8 by means of a hinge member 34 which can be locked at any desired angle by a thumb nut 35. The hinge member is formed with a stud 36 which slips into the upper extremity of the inner tube l5.

.extremity ofthe leg 22.

The frame ll is provided with an end flange I! and hooks 20 for engaging the head extremity .of the board as shown in Fig. 1. Two hinged a single tubular telescoping leg 22 which is secured to the board'by means of a suitable hinge 15 clip 23 similar to the hinge member 34 and provided with a stud to fit snugly into the upper The latter leg may be clamped at any desired degree of extension by means of a clamping clip 28. 20

For additional rigidity, a folding brace 24 is secured to the leg 22 by means of a suitable hinge 25. The brace 24 is preferably channel-shaped to receive a hinged extension bar 24'. The extremity of the extension bar 24' is notched as 25 shown at 26 so that it may be snapped over a receiving pin 21 on the outer tube l3 of the head standard. The extension bar 24 is hinged on a hinged .pin 32 positioned inwardly from the extremity of the brace 24 so that the latter ex- 30 tremity will overlie the bar 24' in the extended position to prevent folding of the brace.

when erecting the structure, the tripod I1 is extended and locked; the head standard is extended to the desired heighth and locked by 35 means of the clamping clips IS; the frame I8 is placed on the head standard by inserting the stud 36 in the inner tube IS; the two sections l0 and ii of the board are secured together by means of the joint l2 and the head end of the 40 board is placed on the frame l8 under the hooks 20; the braces 2| are extended and snapped onto the clip 30, to lock the board on the frame i8; the foot leg is positioned under the hinge clip 23 and raised to the desired height; the brace'45 24 is extended and snapped to the head standard over the pin 21; and the thumb nut 35 is tightened to rigidly clamp the board and its supporting structure at the selected position.

When in use the device appears as illustrated 50 in Fig. 1. When not in use, the two sections of the board are disassembled as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; the leg 22 and the brace 24 is folded as shown in Fig. 5; the frame as in Fig. 6; and the standard I; is telescoped and its tripod is folded back upon 55 y it. to form a short compact bundle. The entire structure can then be easily packed in a suit case or other luggage where it will occupy but a minimum of space.

' Travelers and hotel guests often do a limited amount of clothes washing. The head standard and frame I8 can be employed as a drying rack for the washed clothes thus avoiding hanging them upon the room furniture. In Fig. 4, the standard is shown as it would appear when employed for such a purpose. The two stiflening arms 2 l are turned outwardly to provide suitable hanging arms. The arms 2| are formed with projecting stop portions 28 which engage the frame l8 to support them in the extended position of Fig. 4.

Suitable rubber feet 33 may be provided to prevent marring of the floor and to prevent slipping while the board is in use.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent 1. A foldable ironing board comprising in combination; an elongated board, formed from two sections attached to each other by a transversely extending joint; a support for each section; stiffening arms pivotally connected with the support under one section and swingable into position along the under side of the board across the joint therein; and means for effecting a connection between the free ends of the arms and the other section, whereby the arms will serve as stiflening means for the board.

2. A foldable ironing board comprising: an ironing board; a supporting standard; a frame attached to the upper end of said supporting standard, one end of the frame having hooked fingers engaging one end of said board, the other end of the frame having arms pivotally attached to it and extended along the under side of said board and serving as stiffening means for the board.

3. A foldable ironing board comprising: an elongated board formed from two sections connected by a slidable, transversely extending dovetail joint; means for supporting one section; stiffening means, comprising bars extending across the joint and positioned on the under side of the board, said bars being attached at their one end to said means for supporting; and means for attaching the other ends of the bars to the other section of said board.

4. A collapsible ironing board comprising in combination: a support having a frame hingedly attached to its upper end; one side of the frame having hook members extending above the upper surface of the frame; an elongated ironing board formed from two sections connected along a transversely extending joint, one section of the board resting on the frame and projecting beneath said hook members; bars pivotally connected to the frame at their one extremity and extending under the under surface of the board and across the joint; means for attaching the other extremities of the bars to the undersurface of the other section; and means for supporting the latter section of the board.

ETHEL ARTELIA COOPER. 

